Improved water-defense as the protecting-armor of vessels



ALBERT PAGENSTECHER,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF VALPARAISO, CHILI.

IMPROVED WATER-DEFENSE AS THE PROTECTiNG-ARMOR 0F VESSELS.

Specilication forming part ot' Letters Patent No. 43,377, dated June 2S, 1861i.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT PAG'EN- STECHER, of Valparaiso, in the Republic of Chili, have invented a new and Improved Armor for Vessels; and I do hereby declare that the tbllowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l represents a horizontal section otl the portion of the side of a vessel protected by Iny improved armor partly expanded. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same, illustrating its operation when struck by a shot.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention consists in the application to the outside oi' a vessel of a series of chambers with flexible sides made of sheets of indiarubber, or other suitable elastic material, to be illed with water when in action, and emptied .when not in action, in such a manner that when the vessel is not in action the armor can be drawn up tight to its sides, where it does not interfere with the sailing qualities of said vessel, and when preparing' for action the armor can be expanded by filling the chambers with water, thus incasing the entire "es sel in a waterjacket, and protecting` it against projectiles of any kind which may be hurled against it.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents the side of a vessel which is to be protected by my improved armor. The india-rubber or other tlexible elastic material is taken in sheets B of any desired thickness, and if india-rubber is used it must be proected by horse-hair, carpet, or other suitable material to limit its elasticity, and impart to it a certain stiffness. The sheets B are attached to the sides of the vessel by means of metal strips C and screws D and bolts E, forming bags, which must be partly open at the top so as to allow the escape of a certain quantity of water when struck by a projectile.

The screws D fasten the lower edges ofthe sheets closely to the sides of the vessel, and the side edges or ends of cach sheet are held in position by the bolts E, which pass through A the side of the vessel, being provided with long screw-th reads and nuts, so that the sheets can be drawn up tight to the vessels side when not in action, and that they do not interfere with her sailing qualities or motionsin any direction.

While preparing for action, the sides of the sheets are released by screwingback the nuts of the bolts, and the bags thus formed are iilled with water, as clearly shown inthe drawings. The entire vessel can thus be incased in a stratum of water, the thickness of which may be varied from one to three feet, (more or less,) as experience will dictate, and when struck by a projectile this armor will protect the vessel in the most el'ectual manner. A fresh supply of water mustbe kept on hand, so as to replenish the bags when some of their contents should be spilled or driven out above. Then going out of action, the bags are emptied and drawn up tight against the vessels sides, and in this state they do not interfere with her motion, as previously stated.

That I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

I. The employment or use of bags made of iiidiarubber or other suitable material, and filled with water, substantially as herein specitied, for the purpose of forming armor for a vessel. Y

2. The application to the sides of a vessel of sheets B of india-rubber or other suitable flexible and elastic material, to operate in combination with metal strips C and adjusting-bolts E, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein shown and described.

ALBERT PAG'ENSTECHER. Witnesses:

JAMES WI-IITELItw, M. M. LIVINGSTON. 

